Domestic appliance



April 11, 1944. K. CLARK 2,346,152

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Filed March 51, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 11, 1944. K, CLARK 2,346,152

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Filed March 31, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 prifl H, 1944. K. CLARK 2,346,152

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Filed March 31, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 11, 1944. K. CLARK 2,346,152

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Filed March 31, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I264 2m ff V OR.

BYMMWW Patented Apr. 11, 1944 DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Kendall Clark, Oakwood, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application March 31, 1942, Serial No. 437,075

16 Claims.

This invention relates to domestic appliances or the like and more particularly to a driving mechanism for use with washing machines or other devices utilizing both rotary and reciprocating drives.

An object of this invention is to provide a driving mechanism for imparting rotary motion to a rotatable driven member, and reciprocating motion to a reciprocable driven member.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross-section of a driving mechanism embodying features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section of the tub, or rotatable driven member and the agitator, or reciprocable member;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section of a portion of the mechanismshown in Fig. 1, with the reciprocable shaft in its upper position;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view in perspective of the driving clutch and brake shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a view, somewhat diagrammatic showing the lubricant pump features; and

Fig. 6 shows a modification substantially as disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 358,871.

A driving mechanism embodying my invention is adaptable to a large number of uses; and is particularly adaptable to a washing machine, wherein a rotatable tub l contains a vertically reciprocable member or agitator l I, and in which washing machine clothes and washing liquid may be placed in the tub i0. When the tub Ill remains stationary, the agitator H is vertically reciprocated to wash the clothes. Thereafter, the vertical reciprocation of the agitator is stopped, and the tub is rotated so that the liquid in the tub passes through the perforations 12 into the outer tub l3 and is discharged over the rim M.

This operation wrings the clothes after the same have been washed. Details of the operation of the tub and agitator, together with the counterbalancing means I under the tub l0 are more fully described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 358,871, filed Sept. 28, 1940.

The mechanism shown in Fig. l is used for imparting rotary motion to the tub, or rotary driven member, Ill, and to and fro motion or reciprocation to the agitator, or reciprocable member, I I. This mechanism may include a transmission housing 20, a rotatable driven sleeve or shaft and a reciprocable driven shaft 22. Preferably these shafts are coaxially arranged, and are connected respectively to the tub l0 and agitator H. A power means 23 is connected to the housing 20, and a transmission is placed in the housing 20 which is capable of imparting rotation to the sleeve or shaft 2| and reciprocation to the shaft 22. Preferably the power means 23 is a reversible electric motor having stator windings 24 and a rotor 25, the rotor being drivingly connected to the rotary driving shaft 26. By suitable wellknown electrical controls, the stator 24 may be electrically energized selectively to rotate the r0- tor 25 and shaft 26 in opposite directions.

The housing 20 preferably is mounted on a resilient rubber sleeve 21. It is provided at one end with a journal 28 on which the rotary sleeve or shaft 2| is iournaled. The shaft 22 is journaled within the sleeve 2| and extends to the rotary-reciprocating transmission 29 mounted on a rotatable member or cage 30 within the housing 20. The rotatable member or cage 30 is drivingly connected to the rotatable sleeve 2| through the medium of pins 2la.

The rotary-reciprocating transmission 29 preferably comprises a rotary driven shaft 3| having an angularly disposed pin or bearing 32 at one end, and a gear 33 at the other end. The pin or bearing 32 carries a sleeve 34 having an extension 35, which extends into the ball or cylinder 36 journaled in the head 31 of the shaft 22. The arrangement is such that, when the cage 30 is maintained stationary, the gear 33 and pin 3| may be rotated by the shaft 26, and this in turn imparts vertical reciprocating motion to the shaft 22 through the medium of the members 32 to 31 inclusive. The reciprocating motion is evident by comparison between Figs. 1 and 3 wherein the lower and upper positions of shaft 22 are indicated, respectively.

A driving connection is provided between the rotary drive shaft 26 and the cage 30 such that the cage 3|] 'may be rotated in unison with the shaft 26 or the cage 30 may be maintained stationary, so that the shaft 26, which is geared at 330. to the gear 33 may rotate the latter. with respect to the cage 30. This is accomplished, in this embodiment, by providing a shiftable clutch 40, which cooperates with the combined brake plate and driven clutch member 4| to rotate or to stop the cage 30. To accomplish this, the shiftable clutch 40 is mounted on a spiral track 42 on the shaft 26, and is provided with a one-way frictional clutch or wire 43 placed in the groove 44. This wire 43 has strongfrictional engagement with the disc 40 in one direction and very little friction in the other direction. The wire 43 is provided with a loop 45 at one end which is wrapped around a pin 46 carried by the combined brake and driven clutch disc 41. The other end of wire 43 is located at 41. When the disc 40 rotates clockwise (Fig. 4) the wire 43 wraps tightly around disc 40 and has strong frictional engagement. In the opposite direction there is practically no friction.

.such a direction that when The combined driven clutch member and brake 4| is longitudinally supported on the cage 30 by means of a plurality of pins 50 fixed along the bottom of cage-30, These pins carry combined guides and abutments at their lower ends to engage openings 52 in the plate 4|. Compression springs 52a surround the pins 50. The con struction is such that the plate 4|, together with its brake facing 53 is urged downwardly by the springs 52a against the fixed or stationary brake surface 53:: unless the plate 4| is urged upwardly by the clutch disc 4i). When the brake 4| engages the stationary surface 53a, the cage 30 is brought to a stop and remains stationary until the brake 4| is again raised.

When the shaft 26 rotates in one direction, the spiral track 42 raises the disc 40 into engagement with the brake lining 53 and raises the disc 4| against the abutments 5| and free of the stationary brake surface 53a. This provides a driving engagement from the shaft 26, through the plates 40 and 4| and-pins 50 to the cage 30 and rotates the cage and hence the tub it. When the shaft 26 is stopped, or is reversed, the relative rotation between the cage 30 and shaft 26 causes a relative rotation between the disc 40 and spiral track 42 which lowers the discs 40 and 4|, so that the brake surface 53 comes in contact with the stationary brake surface 63a. This stops rotation of the cage 30. If the shaft 26 is rotating in the proper direction (counterclockwise), there is a gear drive between the shaft 26 and the gear wheel 33 which causes the shaft 3| to rotate about its own axis and thereby reciprocate the shaft 22.

The wire 43 is wrapped around the disc 40 in the disc 40 is urged in a clockwise direction. (Fig. 4), there is a drag on the disc due to the wire wrapping on wire 43. This provides a relative movement between the disc 40 and the spiral track 42 which causes the disc 40 to elevate and raise the disc 4|. When the movement of shaft 26 is in the other direction, however, the tendency is to unwrap the wire 43 and thus permit the disc 40 freely to fall, thus allowing the brake disc 4| to be lowered into braking action under the impulse of springs 52a, after which the disc 40 is allowed to rotate freely relatively to the wire 43'and the disc 4| without perceptible frictional engagement between these parts.

Other details which may aid in the operation of the device may include a journal at 60 for the shaft 26. may have a cantilever overhang beyond the lower bearing 6|, the rotor 25 being secured on this cantilever overhang. An oil seal 62'may be provided at this point to retain the oil within the housing 20 and prevent its downward flow beyond this point. Oil may circulate to the oil seal 62 by passages 62a and 62b. If desired, a pump 63 may be placed. at the lower end of shaft 26 for the purpose of pumping washing liquid from a sump, not shown, surrounding the tub ill to a suitable place of disposal, as more fully described in my copending application, The motor maybe usual starting winding centrif- Other details of assembly and construction are evident from the drawings and are not described in detail, since they are old per se, and their mode of operation are well-known.

The gear wheel 33, and the gears 33a at the upper end of shaft 26 cooperate with a plate 64a shown in Fig. 5 and placed below the gear wheel 33 adjacent the gear 33a, to form anoli gear ugal cut-out 64.

This shaft extends downwardly'and.

pump, which forces lubricant through the passageway 65 into the pocket 66 and from thence through the passage 6'! to the chamber 66 at the upper end of the journal 69 in which the shaft 26 rides. Lubricant may also flow through the passages 10 and H to the surfaces between the pin 32 and sleeve 34. A further lubricant passage 12 provides for lubrication of the bearings around and about the lower end of the shaft 22, and a passage 13, having a restricted opening 13a, provides for upward passage of lubri cant to the interior of shaft 22 and out through openings 13b and to the upper bearings of the shafts 2| and 22.

In the operation of the device, clothes and washing fluid are placed in the tub Ill. The wind ings 24 are then energized to rotate the shaft 26 counterclockwise (Fig; 4). This causes shaft 26 to rotate relatively to cage 30 because the brake disc 4| remains in its lower position. The shaft 26 rotates the shaft 3| causing pin 32 to reciprocate the shaft 22 and agitator H to wash the clothes,

After a proper interval of time, the motor windings-are energized to rotate shaft 26 clockwise (Fig. 4), This causes track 42 to elevate discs 40 and 4| and produce a driving engagement between shaft 26 and cage 30 to rotate the cage 30. This in turn rotates sleeve 2| and tub Hi to wring the clothes centrifugally.

After suflicient tub rotation, the motor windings 24 are deenergized. This causes the motor rotor and shaft 26 to drag enough to allow the discs 40 and 4| to be lowered so that disc 4| and its brake lining 53 engages stationary brake surface 53a. This applies a brake to cage 30 and to tub in to bring them to a stop.

These operations may then one or more rinse waters. 7

Fig. 6 shows a modification substantially as be repeated with disclosed in my said copending application Serial No. 358,871, of which the present application is a continuation in part. In Fig. 6 the housing Id is supported on a rubber collar |2d which has a metal ring |2ad at an intermediate point and an upper metal ring mm. which rings are vulcanized to the rubber. The housing lid is supported from the metal ring i2d by means of screws l2cd.

A vertically reciprocable shaft axially within the rotatable sleeve 24d, which is keyed to the rotatable cage 23d. The motor rotor and shaft 22d of the motor 20d are rotated selectively in either direction by the proper energization of the stator windings 2|d.

The brake plate 250! is keyed on the cage 23d by the pins surrounded by the springs 26d, and is moved to and away from the stationary brake surface 21d against the compression of springs 26d, by means of the disc 28d, in cooperation with the spiral track 29d and the wire 30d, which surrounds the disc 28d and is secured to the pin 30nd carried by the disc 25d. This construction is substantially the same in function and operation as the corresponding construction in Figs. 1 to 5.

The rotary reciprocating transmission is mounted on the cage 23d and includes a small gear wheel 32d secured to the motor shaft, which meshes with the larger gear wheel 33d, secured to the rotary shaft 34d having an upper head 34ad. The head 34ad is provided with an angularly disposed pin 35d on which a sleeve 35nd has a bearing and carries an extension 35bd,

|4d is placed co- 2,346,152 which slidably engages the ball or cylinder 36d,

having a bearing in the lower portion of the shaft When the motor rotor 22d is rotated in one direction, the disc 28d is elevated to lift the brake disc 25d away from the stationary brake surface 21d. The disc 25d is then rotated by the reaction from the motor shaft through disc 28d. This causes the cage 23d to rotate and thus rotate the tub to which it is connected. When the motor rotor 22d is coasting at a slower rate than the rotating tub. as when the stator.2ld is deenergized after the clothes drying operation is completed, the discs 25d and 28d are lowered, by the track 2911, until there is contact between the disc 23d and the stationary brake surface 2101. This brings the cage 23d to a stop. Thereafter, when the motor rotor 22d is rotated in the opposite direction, agitation is produced, because the cage 23d is maintained in a stationary condition by the action of the brake disc 25d on the surface 21d, and the gear wheel 32d drives the gear wheel 33d to produce vertical reciprocation of the shaft (1, thus vertically reciprocating the agitator to which the shaft Md is connected.

Other features shown in Fig. 6 may include the supporting framework 55d of the rotatable basket, the support 91d of the collar l2d, plugs lllab and M'Ibd for introducing and draining lubricant, water pump 93d, which may receive liquid from the casing surrounding the tub, not shown, through the hose 92d, and may discharge the liquid through the outlet 94d. The lubricant may flow through the channel 40d, when it is being drained by the removal of the plug lflbd. The motor leads may be introduced through the opening at 18ab. Lubrication in this case may be partly by the splashing system produced by the action of the gears 32d, 33d and the plate Md, which forces lubricant through the pipe 42d against the upper portions of the rotary-reciprocating transmission. Some of the lubricant may be splashed against the lug 44d and may drip into the cup 43d to lubricate the bearings between the pin 35d and sleeve 35ab.

Further details of the mechanism shown in Fig. 6 are disclosed in my said copending application, to which reference is made, if necessary, for a further disclosure thereof.

In the operatio of the device, clothes and washing liquid are introduced into the tub and the motor is rotated in the proper direction to reciprocate the agitator. Thereafter the direction of rotation of the motor is reversed, thus rotating the tub and centrifugally extracting the liquid from the clothes. Thereafter the motor is deenergized to apply a braking action and to stop rotation of the tub. The operations may be repeated one or more times with rinse water.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

l. A driving mechanism comprising a rotatable sleeve and a reciprocable shaft coaxially arranged, a rotatable cage secured to said sleeve, a rotary-reciprocating transmission mounted on said cage and connected to said shaft, means for rotatably driving said cage, means for maintaining said cage substantially stationary and for actuating said rotary-reciprocating transmission to reciprocate said shaft, and means for rotating said rotatable sleeve and reciprocable shaft in unison without reciprocating said reciprocable shaft.

2. A driving mechanism comprising a rotatable sleeve and a reciprocable shaft coaxially arranged, electrically controlled transmission means for rotatably driving-said sleeve and reciprocable shaft together while. preventing reciprocation of said reciprocable shaft including a rotatable cage secured to said rotatable sleeve and a motor drivingly connectible to said cage, and electrically controlled transmission means for reciprocating said shaft while preventing rotation of said rotatable sleeve and including a rotary driven shaft carried by said cage, geared to said motor, and having a rotary-reciprocating transforming mechanism connected with said reciprocable shaft, and means for releasing the connection from said motor to said cage and braking said cage to reciprocate said reciprocable shaft.

3. A driving mechanism comprising a rotatable sleeve and a reciprocable shaft coaxially arranged, a rotatable cage secured to said sleeve, a rotary-reciprocating transmission connected to said shaft, electrically controlled transmission means for rotatably driving said cage while preventing reciprocation of said reciprocable shaft, and electrically controlled means for actuating said rotary-reciprocatin transmission to reciprocate said shaft while preventing rotation of said rotatable sleeve.

4. A driving mechanism comprising a rotatable cage, a rotary-reciprocating transmission mounted on said cage, means for rotatably driving said cage while preventing reciprocatory motion by said rotary-reciprocating transmission, and means for maintaining said cage substantially stationary and for actuating said rotary-reciprocating transmission to transmit reciprocatory motion.

5. A driving mechanism comprising a reversible motor, a rotatable shaft, areciprocable shaft. means for drivingly connecting said motor to said rotatable shaft when said motor rotates in one direction to rotate said rotatable shaft while preventing reciprocation of said reciprocable shaft, said last named means including a rotatable cage secured to said rotatable shaft and drivingly connectlble to said motor by a one-way clutch, and means for drivingly connecting said motor to said reciprocable shaft when said motor rotates in the opposite direction to ble shaft While preventing rotation of said rotatable shaft. said last named means including a rotary driven shaft carried by said cage, geared,

to said motor and having a rotary-reciprocatin transforming mechanism connected with said reciprocable shaft, andjbrake means effective to prevent rotation of said cage when said motor rotates in the last named direction.

6. A driving mechanism comprising a sleeve member and a shaft member coaxially arranged. one of said members being a rotatable member and the other being a reciprocable member, a reversible motor. means for drivingly connecting said motor to rotate one of said members when said motor rotates in one direction while preventing reciprocation of said reciprocable member and including a rotatable cage secured to said rotatable member and drivingly connectible to said motor by a one-way clutch, and means drivingly connecting said motor to reciprocate the other of said members when said motor rotates in the other direction while preventing rotation reciprocate said reciprocaof said rotatable member and including a rotary driven shaft carried by said cage, geared to said motor, and having a rotary reciprocating transforming mechanism connected with said reciprocable member, and brake means effective to prevent rotation of said cage when said motor rotates in the last named direction.

'7. A driving mechanism comprising a sleeve member and a shaft member coaxially arranged,

. one of said members being a rotatable member and the other being a reciprocable member, electrically controlled transmission means for what ably driving said rotatable member while preventing reciprocation of said reciprocable member and including a rotatable cage secured to the rotatable member and a motor drivingly connectible to said cage, and electrically controlled transmission means for reciprocably driving said reciprocable member while preventing rotation of said rotatable member and including a rotary driven shaft carried by said cage, geared to said motor, and having a rotary-reciprocating transforming mechanism connected with said reciprocable member, and means for disconnecting said motor from said cage and braking said cage to reciprocate said reciprocable member.

8. A driving mechanism comprising a rotatable cage connected to a rotatable driven member, a reciprocable shaft on said cage connected to a reciprocable driven member, a rotary-reciprocating transmission on said cage connected to said A shaft, a reversible motor, means for drivingly connecting said motor to rotate said cage when said motor is rotated in one direction and to prevent reciprocation of said reciprocable driven member, and means for drivingly connecting said motor to said transmission to reciprocate said shaft when said motor is rotated in the opposite direction and to prevent rotation of said rotatable driven member.

9. A driving mechanism comprising a rotatable cage connected to a rotatable driven member, a reciprocable shaft on said cage connected to a reciprocable driven member, and driving means connected to said cageselectively to rotate said rotatable driven member while preventing reciprocation of said reciprocable driven member and to reciprocate said reciprocable driven member while preventing rotation of said rotatable driven member.

10. A driving mechanism comprising a rotatable cage connected to a rotatable driven member, a reciprocable shaft on said cage connected to a reciprocable driven member, brake means, ro-

tary-reciprocating transmission means, rotary driving means, and'electrically controlled means selectively to connect said rotary driving means to rotate said rotatable driven'member while preventing reciprocation of said reciprocable driven member and to apply said brake and actuate said rotary-reciprocating transmission means to reciprocate said reciprocable driven member while preventing rotation of said rotatable driven member.

11. A driving mechanism comprising a rotatable cage connected to a rotatable driven member, a reciprocable shaft on said cage connected to a reciprocable driven member, brak means,

rotary-reciprocating transmission means unitarily carried by said cage and connected to said reciprocable shaft means to drive said cage rotatably and to prevent actuation of said rotaryreciprocating transmission means, means to apply said brake to stop said rotatable cage and to shaft to rotate said a driving shaft Journaled at the bearing from said housing.

' rotatable driven shaft actuate said rotary-reciprocating transmission means.

12. A driving mechanism comprising a rotatable cage connected to a rotatable driven member, a reciprocable driven member, a rotary-reciprocating transmission on said cage connected to said reciprocable driven member, a brake to stop rotation of said rotatable driven member, power means, rotation connecting means to connect said power means to rotate said cage, brake applying means to apply said brake to stop rotation of said rotatable driven member, and reciprocation connecting means to connect said power means to said transmission to reciprocate said reciprocable driven member.

13. A driving mechanism comprising a rotatable cage, a rotary driving shaft joumaled in said cage, a reciprocable shaft journaled in said cage, a rotary-reciprocating transmission in said cage, a brake means to connect said rotary driving cage, means to apply said brake to said cage, and means to drive said rotary-reciprocating transmission from said shaft when said brake is applied to said cage.

14. A driving mechanism comprising a rotatable member, a rotary driving' shaft connectible to and disconnectible from said member, a rotary driven shaft on said rotatable member to be driven by said driving shaft, a reciprocable shaft on said rotatable member, a rotary-reciprocating transmission connecting said rotary driven shaft and said reciprocable shaft, a brake for said rotatable member, and means drivingly to connect said driving shaft and rotatable member while said brake is not applied and to disconnect said driving shaft and rotatable member when said brake is applied.

15. A driving mechanism comprising a transmission housing, coaxial bearings at each end of said housing, a rotatable driven sleeve journaled in the bearing at one end of said housing, a longitudinally reciprocable shaft within said sleeve, at the other end of said housing and journaled in said rotatable driven sleeve, and transmission mechanism in said housing selectively connecting said driving shaft to rotate said sleeve while preventing reciprocation of said reciprocable shaft and to reciprocate said reciprocable shaft venting rotation of said rotatable driven sleeve.

16. A driving mechanism comprising a transmission housing, a rotatable driven shaft extending from said housing, a reciprocable driven shaft coaxial with said rotatable shaft and extending power means within said housing, and electrically controlled transmission means within said housing'between said power means and driven shafts selectively to rotate said rotatable driven shaft while preventing reciprocation of said reciprocable driven shaft and to reciprocate-said reciprocable driven shaft while preventing rotation of said rotatable driven shaft. and including a rotatable cage secured to said and a motor drivingly connectible to said cage to rotate said rotatable driven shaft and a rotary driven shaft carried by said cage, geared to said motor and having a rotary-reciprocating transforming mechanism connected to said reciprocable driven shaft, and means for disconnecting said motor from said cage, and braking said cage to reciprocate said reciprocable driven shaft.

. KENDALL CLARK.

while pre- 

